Keynote Speech

Keynote Speech

Abstract

There are multiple child development theories emphasizing on distinct stages. Particularly, Piaget’s Theory stresses that the sensory motor development stage is one of the most fundamental because it establishes the human holistic development foundation. If a child utilizes this stage adequately, he will master important skills to become an independent and functional individual. Some of the specific factors that influence full child development include genetics, family, culture, and the environment. Aspects such as these interacts cohesively to shape a child's character and personality.

Background

Piaget’s theory argues that the preoperational stage is important as a parent introduces a child to a school life. At this stage, Miguel’s cognitive skills emerge, although a teacher will observe a lack of logical thought. Essentially, his mother and other family members need to shape the learner’s speech. In addition, the educator must teach the child how to write and read words. In this way, Miguel will adjust both emotionally and socially to the learning environment. Notably, teachers ought not to generalize the students because each has a unique set of skills and experiences, probably acquired during the post and pre-natal development stage.

To get an in-depth understanding of child development, the analysis of Miguel Soto-Escobar’s case is necessary. He is a five-year-old preschooler with a speech disorder. Even worse, the fact that his siblings are bilingual aggravates his disability. Besides, Miguel’s grandmother and parents lack adequate skills in spoken English since they are native Mexicans and frequently speak Spanish at home. Interestingly, it is clear that the family’s poor financial condition affects Miguel’s performance. As Miguel worries about his poverty-stricken family, he lacks adequate sleep and fails to concentrate in class. The stress caused by the poor economic status leads to Miguel’s low self-esteem that in turn characterizes his difficulty in speech acquisition. The resultant anxiousness is also detrimental to his health. Further, it is worth noting that the young boy attends three sessions of speech therapy per week. Armed with this information, there is an overwhelming need to zero on the specific factors that bar Miguel’s language development both customarily and family-wise.

Whereas the researchers have proposed a wide variety of child development theories, they look into common factors that affect each stage. In fact, they are convinced that the growth aspects entail social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Ideally, the theorists consider if biological or environmental factors affect the child development process. Secondly, they determine whether the process is diverse or universal. For instance, they deduce if the similar life experiences of children result in similar or diverse outcomes. Thirdly, the psychologists observe if external forces or intrinsic factors influence the development. Lastly, they check the rate of development and how the children add a new experience to the existing knowledge.

In Miguel’s case, Vygotsky’s theory and Piaget’s cognitive development theory are applicable. Both are relevant to the study.

Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory

In his theory, Jean Piaget explained the human development from childhood to adulthood. He was a developmental biologist and recorded infant’s development from a “sensory-motor” stage that begins from conception to 24 months after birth (Huitt & Hummel, 2013). During this stage, the toddler uses his senses to understand the surroundings. Thereafter, he can see, touch and feel objects before making decisions. When Miguel’s brain was developing, he could smell and react to his mother, sibling or caretaker accordingly. Nevertheless, the sensory-motor stage inhibited the child from object permanence. A psychologist, however, can detect the tremendous brain development principally if a child can perceive invisible objects. Further, as Miguel developed a physical mobility, he improved his cognitive ability to roam a wider environmental range. In the end of this stage, Miguel ought to have gained basic language skills hence can decode symbols.

The preoperational stage when the child is 2-7 years old. It is one of the most important stages given that most children begin schooling. Despite that the majority acquire language skills at this stage, some fail to incorporate the basics, especially if the social, cognitive, or environmental factors are unfavorable. Miguel currently falls within this age bracket. Regardless of his speech challenge, the description indicates his above-average performance. Therefore, he exhibits a normal cognitive ability. Moreover, Miguel’s emotional and social development explains his uneasy feeling, specifically when teased. Understandably, the boy seeks his peers’ acceptance. Another proof of his social development is that he freely interacts with his friends at school. On the other hand, he has grown physically because he can execute substantial tasks satisfactorily. Lastly, Miguel’s moral development is evident because he hardly misses his speech development therapy sessions. Eventually, he lacks learning time for compensation.

Vygotsky’s Development Theory

            Vygotsky (2012) argues that culture, language, and social interactions facilitate language development. A child cannot develop normally unless these three factors are present. In the case study, Miguel’s siblings are bilingual, which hinders them from advancing remarkably in language development. Essentially, Miguel’s grandmother and siblings can facilitate his proximal development, but their use of Spanish language contradicts the school’s English lessons. Otherwise, Miguel could have benefited gradually from his contact with the family. Even worse, the continuous hostility in the home environment increases the boy’s cautiousness. Vygotsky further notes that a child’s character influences his interaction with the environment. When Miguel scaffold, his parents rarely helped him to gain language skills. Still, Vygotsky sensitizes the roles that social and physical interactions play during the development of a child.

Theory Application and Recommendations

According to Piaget theory, learning only occurs when there is an addition of information to the existing knowledge (Thomas, 2015). In light of this, it is imperative for Miguel to sustain his interaction with friends and peers. In addition, his teachers and guardians should expose him to new information sources. The teacher should also reserve additional time for extra teaching, given that he misses class lessons to attend therapy sessions. Moreover, the school authorities should be aware that Miguel’s parents and family members lack necessary skills to teach him at home.

            Furthermore, the minimal food at home hampers Miguel’s physical development. His health development depends on the availability of a balanced diet and nutritious food. Research shows that at the pre-operational stage, children grow rapidly and lose significant amounts of energy during play time, hence the need for a healthy balanced diet.

            Moreover, the ever-absent father, speech disability, and poor economic conditions affect Miguel’s emotional and social growth. The boy faces pressures both at home and school that deteriorate his learning and development. For instance, at school, peers tease him while at home, his siblings are unhelpful.

How the Cultural, Societal, and Family Factors Affect Child Development

In the society, people use language to pass culture from one generation to the other. Therefore, the children need interaction and plays for holistic development (Berk & Winsler, 2015). In Miguel’s case, he should play with his peers more often for cognitive growth and physical maturity. Undeniably, his awareness that he has a speech problem contributes significantly to this aloof behavior. As his peers tease him, Miguel is obliged to adjust and to stoop lower to fit in. His family can hardly make ends meet, thus contributing to an already stressful situation. It cannot afford Miguel’s speech therapies.

Further, studies indicate that an emotional trauma is a significant factor influencing how one person relates to the other. Therefore, the utilization of psychological theories and methods, in this case, is justifiable particularly in the development of a therapy to assist Miguel to tame his emotional matters and to develop academically. Besides, the environmental factors equally affect Miguel’s progress and behavior, hence ought to be considered as well. Notably, his environmental network incorporates both his school life and his behavior at home.

The solution to Miguel’s speech problem cannot be determined unless the researcher acknowledges and rules out the potential mental issues. It is worth noting that young people's peer social networks are contextually significant with regards to relational aggression. People often harm each other via through their social channels. Consequently, Miguel's peer social network structure shapes and constrains his application of relationally aggressive strategies. For instance, research shows that an isolated child can hardly engage in socially exclusive behaviors since he lacks an exclusive relationship with his peers whom he could willingly exclude.

            In summary, Miguel’s family life has remarkably changed since his enrolment to a learning institution. The Vygotsky’s and Piaget child development theories are applicable in explaining the thought process with reference to the child’s speech process. During his first year at school, Miguel was diagnosed with ELL. Markedly, a stressful family life is to blame for his poor social skills and learning skills. Miguel cannot speak well because he is physically and emotionally retarded. Particularly, maternal illiteracy and poor financial conditions are two major factors that suppress his abilities. Statistics indicate that illiterate mothers cannot successfully take care of their pregnancies or babies because they are ill informed. Infants are also affected by a myriad of environmental factors. Not only is Miguel unable to speak the English language effectively, but also is emotionally traumatized due to a culmination of suppressive environmental factors and poverty. Piaget theory explains the process of child’s cognitive development whereas Vygotsky explains different factors that influence learning.

References

Berk, L. E., & Winsler, A. (2015). Scaffolding Children's Learning: Vygotsky and Early Childhood Education. NAEYC Research into Practice Series. Volume 7. Washington: National Association Publishers.

Huitt, W., & Hummel, J. (2013). Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development. Educational Psychology Interactive, 3(2), 1-5.

Thomas, R. M. (2015). Comparing Theories of Child Development. Sydney: Wadsworth Pub. Co.

Vygotsky, L. (2012). The Interaction between Learning and Development. Readings on the Development of Children, 23(3), 34-41.